The lack of effective disclosure for independent expenditures has created a gaping loophole in our campaign finance law — one so big that the Chamber of Commerce and others are going to drive trucks full of money through it this year.
In a Montana campaign finance case, the Supreme Court has the opportunity to fix the Citizens United mess. It should do so not (just) for the sake of its own legitimacy, but for the sake of American democracy.
For decades, the one piece of campaign finance reform that Democrats and Republicans agreed about was the importance of disclosure. Here is their chance to prove they are serious.
Neither our economy nor our democracy will function in the interest of all Americans if corporate political activity occurs in secret, with shareholders — and voters — kept in the dark.
There is much Congress can do to fix the current campaign finance fiasco, including reforming the FEC. In the meantime, adopting the DISCLOSE Act would bring immediate, and needed, change.
